USA > Iowa > Dubuque County > The history of Dubuque County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc. > Part 53
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Ball, Oscar C., e. Sept. 23, 1861.
Bradley, Smith A., e. Aug. 28, 1861.
Dickey, Jos., e. Aug. 28, 1861, disd. Jan 15, 1863, disab.
Evans, L. K., e. Sept. 12, 1861.
Gardner, L. B .. e. Oct. 11, 1861.
Grover, Samuel, e. Oct. 7, 1861, disd. Aug. 22, 1862, disab.
Hemsbranch, D., e. Sept. 19, 1861, died March 30, 1863.
Kelley, Wm., e. Sept. 16, 1861.
King, E. S., e. Sept. 23, 1861.
Robinson, James, e. Aug. 28, 1861.
Smith, James, e. Oct. 11, 1861, died May 13, 1862.
Sullivan, John, e. Sept. 25, 1861.
White, Peter, e. Aug. 29, 1861; died Nov. 6,1861.
Williams, James, e. Sept. 11, 1861.
Company I.
Corp. Andrew F. Wiley, e. Oct. 8, 1861. Artisan Geo. D. Bennet, e. Oct. 1, 1861.
Artisan Sam'l Potter, e. Sept. 30, 1861.
Artisan Geo. Robinson, e. Sept. 30, 1861. Artisan Montillon Smith, e. Sept. 30, '61.
Artisan Eli Winiger, e. Oct. 3, 1861, prmtd. Q. M. Sergt,, then 1st lieut.
Lynch, S. L., e. Oct. 10, 1861.
Mack, Martin, e. Sept. 24, 1861, died Feb. 8, 1862.
FIRST BATTERY LIGHT ARTIL- LERY.
First Lieut. Virgil J. David, com. Aug. 17, 1861, resd. Sept. 29, 1862.
Sergt. Leander J. White, e. Feb. 24, 1862. Sergt. Henry R. Horr, e. Aug. 17, 1862.
Corp. Chas. H. Stearns, -- , disd. June 3, 1862.
Corp. Robt. Z. Bell, e. Oct. 26, 1862, wd. Vicksburg.
Corp. F. T. Steward, -, died March 31, 1862, at Cassville, Mo.
Bemis, H. R., e. Aug. 17, 1862, disd. June 3, 1862.
Dale, Henry, e. Aug. 17, 1862, died Dallas, Ga.
Martin, Henry, e. Aug. 17, 1862, died at Black River Bridge, Miss.
Parrott, Jas. P., e. Oct. 14, 1864.
Wood, (". B., e. Aug. 17, '62, died St. Louis. Wearmouth, Geo., e. Aug. 17, 1862, kld. bat. Atlanta.
THIRD BATTERY LIGHT ARTIL- LERY.
[NOTE .- This battery was mustered out at Davenport Oct. 3, 1865.]
Capt. Mortimer M. Hayden, com. Sept. 16, 1861, m. o. Oct. 3, 1864.
Warner devis
DUBUQUE.
449
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY.
Sr. Second Lieut. Wm. M. Crozier, com. Sept. 16, 1861, disd. Jan., 1862.
Sr. Second Lieut. Jerome Bradley, com. jr. 2d lieut. Sept. 16, 1861, prmtd. sr. 2d lieut. Feb. 28, 1862, Q. M. 9th I. V. I. May 1, 1862.
Jr. Second Lieut. Dan'l W. Lee, e. as -, prmtd. 2d lieut. Feb. 28, 1862, resd. Oct. 11,1862.
Sergt. Spencer Forshee, disd, Dec. 7, 1862, disab.
Sergt. John Phelan.
Sergt. George W. Goldthorpe, re-e. as vet. Dec. 22, 1863. Sergt. Jos. J. Dengl.
Sergt. Wm. H. Gilford, re-e. as vet. Dec. 22. 1863. Corp. Maurice D. Nagle.
Corp. Robert McFate.
Corp. David H. Rowles, wd. at Pea Ridge, Ark.
Corp. E. H. Harkins.
Corp. J. H. Wise.
Wagoner Edward Mobley.
Asmus, John. Barnes, William.
Barrow, Francis, re-e. as vet. Dec. 22, '63, disd. Dec. 8, 1864, disab.
Blondin, Samuel.
Byrne, John.
Boyle, Thomas, e. Oct. 17, 1864.
Connovan, John, vet. Feb. 1, 1864.
Cone, M., vet. vet. Dec. 22, 1863.
Carroll, Jas. B., vet. Dec. 22, 1863.
Field, William, wd. at Pea Ridge.
Foster, F. A., e. Oct. 6, 1864.
Gazzard, George, wd., disd. Dec. 8, 1862. Goodell, E. P., e. Oct. 6, 1864.
Hayes, John.
Harker, J. E., e. Oct. 7, 1864.
Kennedy, John, vet. Feb. 1, 1864. Kelley, M.
Lowell, F. A., e. Oct. 6, 1864.
Long, R. J., died at Little Rock.
Loftus, Patrick, vet. Dec. 22, 1863. McFatie, Robert. Morton, Charles A., e. March 28, 1864. Maloney, Thomas, e. Oct. 3, 1864.
McIntyre, Richard, e. Oct. 8, 1864.
Manders, Peter, died at Spruce Mills Dec. 13, 1864.
McManus, Peter. Mabe, Julius F., vet. Dec. 22, 1863.
Mabe, B. W., vet. Dec. 22, 1863. Noon, M., vet. Dec. 22, 1863. Nagle, Jas. P., disd. Aug. 13, 1862, disab. Nagle, E. W., e. Aug. 27, 1862. O'Day, Andrew.
O'Meara, Patrick, vet. Dec. 22, 1863. Phelan, John, vet. Dec. 22, 1863. Phelps, Abram. Preston, Albert, e. Oct. 6, 1864. Roper, Robert, vet. Dec. 22, 1863.
Riley, Patrick, vet. Feb. 1, 1864. Reed, Albert, e. Dec. 22, 1861. Timms, D. S., died. Jan. 22, 1864. Tibbles, S. L. Turnbull, Wm. C.
Welden, M.
West, Jesse H., vet. Dec. 22, 1863, died at Little Rock.
Worden, Oscar D., vet. Dec. 22, 1863. Woodward, S. A., vet. Dec. 22. 1863. Watson, Wm. I., e. Oct. 11, 1864. Widman, George.
Wyss, John, e. Oct. 4, 1864. Herron, D. R.
FOURTH BATTERY LIGHT ARTILLERY.
Sr. Second Lieut. John H. Alexander, com. Nov. 23, 1863, m. o. for promotion Jan. 1, 1865.
Arnold, John W., e. Aug. 3, 1864. Smith, John, e. May 20, 1864.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Second Veteran Infantry.
Corp. Daniel McCarty, e. June 8, 1861, vet. Jan. 4, 1864, m. o. July 12, 1865.
Corp. John C. Pyke, e. June 8, 1861, vet. Jan. 2, 1864, m. o. July 12, 1865.
Clouse, Mathus, e. Feb. 11, 1864, m. o. July 12, 1865.
Eighmey, Parley P., e. Nov. 1, 1861, vet. Dec. 17, 1863, m. o. July 12, 1865.
Eddy, R. T., e. June 8, 1861, vet. Dec. 17, 1863, m. o. July 12, 1865.
Fields, James A., e. June 8, 1861, vet. Dec. 17, 1863, m. o. July 12, 1865.
Laybold, John, e. June 8, 1861, vet. Jan. 4, 1864, m. o. July 12, 1865.
Schloth, William, e. June 8, 1861, vet. Jan. 4, 1864, m. o. July 12, 1865.
Taylor, John, e. April 6, 1864, m. o. July 12, 1865.
Ward, E. H., e. June 8, 1861, vet. Dec. 17, 1863, m. o. July 12, 1865.
Wheeler, Geo. H., e. June 8, 1861, vet. Jan. 4, 1864, m. o. July 12, 1865.
Keller, Oscar, e. Aug. 26, 1862, m. o. July 12, 1865.
Fifth Infantry.
Molvin, J., e. Aug. 13, 1862, m. o. in August, 1864.
Donnivan, Dennis, e. Nov. 27, 1863, m. o. in August, 1864.
Donovan, John, e. Nov. 5, 1863, m. o. in August, 1864.
Eleventh Infantry.
Asst. Surg. Frederick Meyer, com, April 14, 1863, resd. June 5, 1863.
Thirteenth Infantry.
Smith, David, e. Dec. 19, 1862, re-e. as vet- Feb. 20, 1864, m. o. July 21, 1865.
Fourteenth Infantry.
Surg. George M. Staples, com. Nov. 2, 1861, m. o. Nov. 16, 1864.
H
450
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY.
Kelly, J., e. Sept. 30,'64, m. o. Nov. 16, '64. Dexter, Charles A., Jan. 10, 1863, m. o. Nov. 16, 1864.
McGinley, William, e. Jan. 10, 1863, m. o. Nov. 16, 1864.
Residuary Battery Fourteenth Infantry.
Bentley, Edw. H., e. Jan. 27, 1864, m. o. Aug. 8, 1865.
Winters, James, e. March 18, 1862, m. o. Aug. 8, 1865.
Eighteenth Infantry.
Capt. Oscar S. Chase, com. Aug. 7, 1862, disd. Oct. 17, 1862.
Sergt. J. E. Wolf, e. June 17, 1862, disd. Feb. 27, 1863, disab. Ernstdorf, Peter, e. July 8, 1862, m. o. July 20, 1865. Gould, Geo. H., e. July 8, 1862, died Nov. 18, 1862.
Irvin, John, e. June 18, 1862, m. o. July 20, 1865.
Johnson, William, e. June 22, 1862, wd. Jan. 8, 1863, m. o. July 20, 1865.
Lutchinger, C., e. July 25, 1862, mn. o. July 20, 1865.
O'Riley, Patrick, e. June 12, 1862, disd. Dec. 28, 1862, disab.
Bear, Michael.
Twenty-fourth Infantry.
Thompkins, O., e. Oct. 11, 1864, m. o. July 17, 1865.
Gates, T. J., e. Oct. 11, 1864, m. o. July 17, 1865.
Twenty-sixth Infantry.
Connell, John E., e. June 28, 1862, m. o. June 6, 1865.
Garrity, Edward.
Thirty-second Infantry.
Adjt. Wm. 1 .. Carpenter, e. as private Aug. 11, 1862, prmtd. 2d lieut. May 8, 1863, prmtd. adjt. Oct. 15, 1864, m. o. Aug. 24, 1865.
Thirty-fourth Infantry. (Consolidated with Thirty-eighth .;
Hart, Frank H., e. Nov. 4, 1862, m. o. Aug. 15, 1865.
Garner, Wm. H., e. Aug. 15, 1862, m. o. Aug. 15, 1865. Twombley, Cyrus S., e. Aug. 15, 1862, m. 0. Aug. 15, 1865. Hallsted, James, e. Sept. 10, 1862, m. o. Aug. 15, 1865. Randolph, J. F., e. Aug. 20, 1862, m. o. Aug. 15, 1865. King, H. A., e. Nov. 29, 1862, m. o. Aug. 15, 1865.
Thirty-sixth Infantry.
Asst. Surg. Patrick A. Smyth, com. April 29, 1863, captd. Marks Mills, Ark.
Thirty-eighth Infantry.
Asst. Surg. Edward A. Duncan, com. Nov. 3, 1862, resd. July 24, 1863.
Adjt. Henry W. Pettit, com. Sept. 15, 1862, resd. April 15, 1863.
Randolph, J. F., e. Aug. 20, 1862, m. o. Aug. 15, 1865.
Hallsted, James, e. Sept. 10, 1862, m. o. Aug. 15, 1865.
Garner, Wm. H., e. Aug. 15, 1862, m. o. Aug. 15, 1865.
Twombly, Cyrus L., e. Aug. 15, 1862, m. o. Aug. 15, 1865.
Foster, G. H.
Forty-first Infantry.
Heacock, J., e. Oct. 8, 1861, disd. Feb. 19, 1863, disab.
Forty-seventh Infantry. Reppe, Wm., e. May 18, 1864.
Forty-eighth Infantry.
Truax, Walter E., e. June 17, 1864, m. o. . Oct. 21, 1864.
First Infantry, A. D.
Sergt. Albert Linzy, e. Sept. 12, 1863, died Oct. 26; 1863.
Thirteenth Illinois Infantry.
Henni, Chris, e. May 21, 1861, died April 24, 1863.
Icher, John, e. May 21, 1861, disd. Sept. 1, 1863, disab.
Fourteenth Illinois Infantry. Conzet, Jolın, e. May 25, 1861.
Sixteenth Illinois Infantry. Ditorick, Thos., e. May 24, 1861.
Twenty-fourth Illinois Infantry. Fengler, E., e. July 5, 1861, trans. to V. R. C.
Thirty-fourth Iliinois Infantry.
Kelley, Patrick, e. Sept. 24, 1861, m. o. Sept. 24, 1864.
Forty-second Illinois Infantry.
First Lieut. John W. Scott, e. July 22, '61. Barnes, Geo. W., e. Aug. 4, 1861, m. o. Dec. 16, 1865, wd.
Forty-fifth Illinois infantry. McCaffrey, Patrick, e. Sept. 3, 1861.
First Illinois Artillery. Laha, Frank K., e. Feb. 1, 1862. McGeorge, John, e. Feb. 1, 1862. McGeorge, Jas., e. Feb. 1. 1862. Garring, J. C., e. Jan. 29, 1862.
Eighth Wisconsin Infantry. Carney, John, e. Aug. 1, 1861.
451
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY.
First Wisconsin Cavalry. Wright, F. W., e. Oct. 14, 1861.
First Infantry (Missouri State Militia). Sass, John, e. March 25, 1862.
Third Missouri Infantry.
Sergt. Silas Garber. e. Nov. 7, 1861, prmtd. 1st lieut.
Corp. Geo. Yorent, e. Nov. 7, 1861, prmtd. sergt.
Corp. Henry C. McKee, e. Oct. 13, 1861.
Corp. Geo. White, e. Oct. 24, 1861.
Corp. Abram Garber, e. Oct. 23, 1861. Bickford, O. P., e. Oct. 19, 1862. Beddow, M. T., e. Nov. 9, 1862. Craig, Vernon, e. Oct. 9, 1861.
Cooper, Thos. E., e. Dec. 9, 1861.
Dunner, A. B., e. Oct. 26, 1861.
Garber, Isaac, e. Nov. 9, 1861, died Sept. 13, 1863.
Goodenow, Chas. E., e. Nov. 9, 1861.
Goodenow, F. A., e. Oct. 9, 1861.
Graham, F. T., e. Oct. 24, 1861.
Henry, Martin, e. Oct. 17, 1861. Houser, Thompson, e. Oct. 17, 1861. Lee, Samuel, e. Oct. 12, 1861.
McEvers, John N., e. Oct. 24, 1861.
McKee, Theo. F., e. Oct. 12, 1861, died July 18, 1863.
Nickols, S. M., e. Oct. 12, 1861, died March 19, 1862. Oglesbee, H. H., e. Oct. 26, 1861.
Osterdock, Jos. F., e. Oct. 26, 1851.
Porter, Geo. W., e. Oct. 12, 1861.
Shaw, Wm., e. Oct. 19, 1861, disd. May 16, 1862.
Staire, Jolın, e. Oct. 12, 1861, disd. May 16, 1862.
Woodrow, T. C., e. Oct. 19, 1861.
Woolridge, G. B., e. Oct. 19, 1861, prmtd. corp. Young, Jefferson, e. Nov. 7, 1861.
Fifteenth Missouri Infantry.
Sergt. Chas. Krege, e. Oct. 1, 1861.
Sergt. Chas. Wiedmayer, e. Oct. 1, 1861. Sergt. Gustav Schroder, e. Oct. 1, 1861. Corp. Phillip Motsch, e. Oct. 1, 1861. Althaus, Bernard, e. Oct. 1, 1861. Figg, Aug., e. Oct. 1, 1861.
Kessler, Aug., e. Oct. 1, 1861, disd. March -, 1862.
Lange, Robert W.
Fourth Missouri Cavalry. Bitter, Jacob, disd.
Tenth Missouri Cavalry. Wolf, Wm., e. Dec. 7, 1863.
Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry.
Carrier, L. L., e. Sept. 28, 1861, re-e. as vet. Nov. 14, 1863.
Chark, H. D., e. Sept. 23, 1861.
Frantz, Jacob H .. , e. Sept. 26, 1861.
Largent, J. L. F., e. Sept. 27, 1861.
Price, George R., e. Sept. 24, 1861. Williams, T. J.
Twelfth Regular Infantry.
Bedient, Albertus.
Hill, Amos.
Heines, Adam.
Mauley, P.
Merks, P.
Milan, J. M.
Riley, William.
Roche, P.
Rooney, Peter.
Wilson, A. W.
Ashley, D. C.
Anderson, John.
Byrnes, Geo.
Bugley, Lorenzo.
Burke, Patrick.
Bobleter, J. A.
Connelly, Simon.
Cummins, Thos.
Carmody, P.
Callen, John.
Cramer, J. C.
Donegan, H.
Drummond, W.
Dewey, T.
Davis, Ovon.
Fitzgerald, J.
Foland, F. F.
Gruber, N. E.
Guldenpemig, F. K.
Henderson, R. B.
Herley, P.
Hoeg, W. A.
Haynes, A.
Jones, H. A.
Kress, R.
Kegreiss, John.
Meagher, J. P. G.
Morris, M. P.
Mervin, M.
Pascoe, John R.
Richards, Franklin.
Stevens, Gilman.
Tucker, W. R.
Vogel, John. Vassar, John.
Woodington, Charles.
Becket, Henry, Jr.
Brasher, J. O.
McGinnis, Daniel.
McGinnis, James.
Longueville, L. Boland, James.
452
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY.
CRIMINAL RECORD.
Crime in Dubuque County has not been in excess of that of other counties in the State, especially when the cosmopolitan character of the population is considered. The following are among the more prominent murder cases of record :
Gillick Murder .- On the afternoon of Tuesday, March 30, 1858, occurred one of the most brutal murders which ever took place in Dubuque. A tailor named F. Gillick, residing on Fifth, between Main and Iowa streets, had for some time previous been in the habit of becoming intoxicated, and abusing his wife. On the morning of the day on which his bloodthirsty disposition found final expression, his wife found him in a saloon drunk, and requested that he accompany her home. He replied by saying, "I will go home when I get ready." At this, she left him. He followed soon after, and, becoming en- gaged in a quarrel, at last drew a pistol and shot lier in the left side. Drs. Sprague and Burge were summoned at once, but could furnish no relief, the unfortunate woman dying about 10 o'clock that night.
The coroner held an inquest on the following day, returning a verdict in accordance with the facts. Gillick was arrested, and, after a trial lasting five days, was convicted, and, by Judge T. S Wilson, sentenced to be hanged on the 29th day of April, 1859. The verdict was appealed from, and the case taken to the Supreme Court, by which tribunal a decision was renderod on January 2, 1860, affirming the decision of the lower court, and naming April 27 of the same year, as the day for the execution of the prisoner.
As early as 7 o'clock on the morning of the fatal day, the streets in front of the jail began to fill up, and by 9 o'clock there was not a standing place or a roof unoccupied in the vicinity.
No visitors were admitted into the jail until the hour of execution. A short time previous, he bade farewell to the prisoners, and, passing out through the roadway with a clergyman, entered a close carriage, and the procession moved in the following order to the place of execution, which was an open space south of Eagle Point :
Carriage with Officials. Two Companies of Military. Carriage with Prisoner, Clergy, etc. One Company of Military. Carriage with Reporters.
Upon arriving at the scaffold, the military formed in a square, into which Gillick was led. He ascended the scaffold without hesitation, and was followed by the Revs. Durnin and Donellan, Sheriff Cummings, Deputy Sheriff Hewitt and Sheriff Edy, of Delaware County.
At the conclusion of the reading of the warrant, the prisoner knelt, and engaged in religious exercises. Without apparent fear, he seemed the devout Christian engaged in prayer.
The services over, he kissed the clergymen, shook hands with Sheriff Cum- mings and his deputy, and, declining to make any remarks, the rope which held the trap was cut, and Gillick ceased from troubling. The fall broke his neck, and he died calmly and without evincing any symptoms of pain.
After hanging twenty minutes, the body was cut down, and interred in the Catholic cemetery, under the auspices of a committee representing the society of St. Vincent de Paul, the Rev. James B. Donellan officiating at the grave.
453
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY.
Wood Murder .- On the night of November 9, 1859, a man named Joseph Wood was found in front of Chambers & Ryder's, on First street, with his skull crushed in. The man was cared for, and, on the succeeding day, John Gleason and Constable Cadman arrested two men, Edward Mooney and Daniel Clifford, charged with the crime of murder. Wood died two days after. The prisoners were indicted, and the trial of Mooney commenced before Judge T. S. Wilson on Monday, December 12, 1859, that of Clifford being called on the Saturday following. Both were convicted, and sentenced to be hanged on Friday, October 19, 1860. An appeal was taken to the Supreme Court in the case of Mooney, but Clifford was hanged on the day appointed.
At 10 minutes before 11, on the day of execution, he was escorted to the scaffold erected in the jail yard by the Rev. Mr. Durnin, Sheriff, G. W. Cum- mings and Deputy Hewitt. He mounted the scaffold, and, at the conclusion of the reading of the warrant, engaged in devotional exercises with Fathers Donellan and Durnin. Both of these prelates embraced the prisoner. When they descended, he walked upon the trap and contemplated the crowd. His arms were bound by Deputy Hewitt, the noose adjusted, the black cap con- cealed his countenance, when Sheriff Cummings cut the rope, and Clifford's race was run.
After hanging twenty-three minutes, life was pronounced extinct, and the body was coffined and buried by the Young Men's Sodality.
Cardiff Murder .- On the evening of February 28, 1861, two men, passing along Julien avenue, nearly opposite the residence of Gen. Jones, discovered a man, apparently intoxicated, lying in the gutter and unable to speak. He was identi- fied, upon examination, as a jarvey in the employ of Harris & Co., named Stephen Cardiff, forty-five years of age, and residing with his family in Langworthy Hollow, near the Diamond House. He never recovered consciousness, but died about noon on the following day.
The coroner impaneled a jury and held an inquest, which was concluded on March 6, with a verdict setting forth that Cardiff came to his death by blows from a slungshot or ax, feloniously inflicted by Patrick Loftus.
Loftus was accordingly apprehended, tried before Judge Wilson, convicted, and sentenced to confinement in the county jail for a brief period.
The Mc Ardle Murder .- The township of Prairie Creek, about eighteen miles from Dubuque, in a southwesterly direction, was the scene of a bloody murder on the night of February 12, 1861, by which an old resident, named Patrick McArdle, sixty years of age, was the victim, and, as was subsequently confessed, his wife and three sons the murderers, though the verdict of a coroner's inquisition set forth that the deed was committed by "some person or persons unknown to the jury."
At the inquest, Mrs. McArdle, the widow of deceased, testified that, on the night of the murder, her three sons left home at an early hour for the purpose of attending a debate at a schoolhouse in the vicinity. Not long after, witness; who was in the basement, heard men enter the house and demand whisky. Their demands were refused, when she returned up-stairs to prevent a disturb- ance. As soon as she opened the door, she was confronted by one of the men, who seized a chair and threatened violence unless she left. Fleeing the room in terror, Mrs. McArdle hastened to a neighbor's house, where she related the facts, and the neighbor (Mr. Conley) hurried to the schoolhouse to inform the sons.
The posse returned to the house with the least possible delay, accompanied by a man named Cunningham, where they found McArdle with his brains
454
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY.
oozing from his head, and in the final pangs of dissolution. He died almost immediately, and one of the bloodiest and most brutal murders the criminal records of Dubuque County detail was shrouded in an impenetrable mystery.
The inquest was concluded on the afternoon of February 13, with the above verdict ; but three days thereafter, the widow made a confession of the crime to Sheriff D. A. Mahony, and was, with her three sons, John, James and Patrick, taken into custody and confined in the county jail.
From the evidence elicited, it was proven that Mrs. McArdle admitted killing deceased because "he was selling off the stock," and refused to give her a living.
The family lived unhappily for years. The old man and boys quarreled, and the mother invariably sided with the sons. The father often complained of their demands for money to be frittered away in drinks, and they never hesitated to give him a beating if he refused. Only a week or so prior to the murder, the youngest son, John, gave his father a terrible thrashing on this account, and the old man had often remarked that the boys would some time kill him.
He was described as a man of peaceable disposition, well liked by his neighbors, owned a farm of 200 acres and was in comfortable circumstances. The family consisted of deceased, his wife, three sons, aged respectively twenty- eight, twenty-two and eighteen, and a daughter, who was married, and resided at a distance from her father.
The preliminary examination was begun on Wednesday, February 24, before Judge Ilempstead, with District Attorney Watson and D. E. Lyon prosecuting, M. B. Mulkern and Monroe & Deery appearing in behalf of the defense. After a prolonged and tedious inquiry into the alleged facts, Mrs. McArdle and her son Patrick were held for murder, John and James McArdle being discharged.
On the 21st of May following, the grand jury returned a true bill against defendants, who, upon being arraigned, pleaded not guilty. At the trial, which was begun before the District Court, Hon. James Burt presiding, at the June term thereof, Mrs. McArdle obtained a change of venue to Jackson County, Patrick McArdle submitting his defense to a jury of his peers in the county wherein the indictment was found, as follows: William Carter, John Dissinger, J. Jaeggi, Henry Patterson, Charles Molloy, Andrew Bahl, J. A. Emerson, A. Kaiser, W. O. Diball, A. B. Harrison, John Wood and Joel M. Higgins. District Attorney Watson prosecuted, John H. O'Neill defending, and the trial concluding on June 14, with a verdict of not guilty.
Mrs. McArdle was tried at the October term of the Jackson County District Court, convicted and sentenced to be hanged, the latter event to occur on the 9th of December, 1864. Before that date, however, Gov. Stone commuted her sentence to imprisonment for life. She was about sixty years of age, and, upon the trial of her son as accessory, procured his acquittal by the confession of her own guilt, averring that he was entirely ignorant of the deed until after its commission.
The Thomas Doolan Murder .- On Saturday night, June 10, 1865, the cry of murder was heard on Jones street, between Locust and Bluff, and attracted the attention of officers in the vicinity. On inquiry, they learned that the cry arose from the saloon of Thomas Doolan, and, proceeding thither, they found the proprietor lying behind the counter weltering in blood, appar- ently in a dying condition. He was too weak to furnish an account of the affair, but, upon being interrogated as to whom his assailants were, replied,
-
455
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY.
" the Kennedys." They were present, and, together with one named Ryan, placed under arrest.
On Monday, Doolan died, and Coroner Leist, having been notified of the fact, directed Justice Cantillon to hold an inquest, which was accordingly done, resulting in the holding of the Kennedys to await the action of the grand jury, Ryan being released.
From the evidence, it appeared that the accused visited decedent's saloon about 11 o'clock on the night of the tragedy, and, while there, became involved in a dispute with Doolan. During its progress, one of the Kennedys whipped out a knife, and, after inflicting wounds upon Doolan's head, plunged the murderous weapon into his abdomen, leaving such wounds that it was impossi- ble to save the victim, whose death, as above detailed, added one more to the number of murders committed in Dubuque County.
At a preliminary examination of defendants, their bail was fixed at $10,000, for trial before the District Court.
The trial was had at the December term of court, the Hon. James Burt presiding, which was continued for three days, concluding with a verdict of manslaughter.
The Geraghty-Mathews Murder .- On the evening of June 30, 1868, Doyle's saloon, a resort for river men, at the corner of Main and First streets, was the scene of a fatal tragedy, in which Patrick Geraghty, employed on the steamer Key City, smote Stephen Mathews, a "rouster " on the War Eagle, across the neck with a stick of wood, from the effects of which death immediately resulted. The facts of the case are substantially as follows: On the evening of the tragedy, deceased charged Geraghty with harboring a pique against him, and proposed to settle it by a fight, for a stake of $5. Mathews retired to the saloon for the purpose of borrowing that amount, and Geraghty had recourse to a wood pile, from which he secured a heavy billy, with which he assailed Mathews, who retreated into the saloon. He soon emerged therefrom, however, and stepped toward Geraghty, who struck him on the shoulder with the billy. He then retired to the street with " Good-night, Mathews," and proceeded in the direction of his home, followed by Mathews. As the latter approached, Geraghty warned him off, but Mathews insisted upon speaking to the pros- pective assassin, and, as he reached his side, Geraghty struck him a blow on the right side of his head, dislocating the neck, and producing injuries which proved fatal before medical aid could be summoned. The victim was taken to his home, in the vicinity, while the murderer was arrested from the hold of the Key City, in which he had sought concealment, and, in obedience to the directions of the coroner's jury, detained in jail charged with murder.
He was tried before Judge Burt, convicted, and, on March 15, 1869, and sentenced to fifteen days in the county jail.
The Brown Murder .- A shocking murder and attempted suicide occurred about midnight of November 13, 1868, under the following circumstances: William Brown, residing with his wife and family in Norton's row, on Main street, between Fourteenth and Fifteenth, became involved in a dispute with the madame, because she refused to join with him and remove to quarters on Eighth street. He thereupon swore vengeance, and abused her most shamefully. After he had exhausted the ordinary means he employed to compel submission, and failed, he produced a pistol and shot the unoffending and helpless woman through the lung and heart, causing instant death. When he realized the crime he had been guilty of, he endeavored to commit suicide, and was found by the arresting officer suffering from a wound in his abdomen. He was taken to the
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